GREENSBORO — A Salisbury man was sentenced last week to 13 years in federal prison on charges of distributing heroin.

Curtis Carl Cowan, 53, pleaded guilty on Dec. 3 to one count of distribution of heroin. He was sentenced Wednesday, according to Matthew G.T. Martin, U.S. attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.

District Judge William L. Osteen Jr. sentenced Cowan to 156 months, or 13 years, followed by five years of supervised release.

Federal officials said Cowan is a “career offender” under federal law, based on previous convictions for second-degree kidnapping, attempted second-degree kidnapping and extortion.

On both April 12, 2017, and May 15, 2017, Cowan sold 1 gram of heroin to an informant working with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office. Both transactions occurred in the public parking lots of retail businesses in Salisbury.

The case was investigated by the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Terry M. Meinecke.

Cowan has a number of previous convictions that date to 1992. They include felony possession of a controlled substance; driving while license is permanently revoked; assault on a female; common law robbery; soliciting indecent liberties with a child; felony insurance fraud; stalking; and cyberstalking.